Airplane landing gear



April 10, 1945. c. J.MORGAN AIRPLANE LANDING GEAR Filed April 8, 1943 Patented Apr. 10, 1945 um ng-o (Grantee nfidelthe act of Maioh'ii, 4883, as amended-April, 1928;-'370'0.--G. 7-57) "'Thepresent invention relates to improvements in aircraft landing gear and more. particularly' 'to improve'd retracting and locking mechanism there-fore and the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved mechanically operated landing gear. I

Another object of theipresentinvention is" the provision of an aircraft'landing gear that is lighter, more positive in action and therefore safer, resulting in fewer wheels up"landi n'gs. A still further object of the present invention isthe. provisionofa landing. gear that is easier to install, maintain and repair, especially inthe fild,-a'ndone that permits of greater economy in -materia1 and construction. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent during-the course of 'the following detailed description taken in connec-- tion with theaccompanying drawing forming a part of thisspeci-fication, and in which drawing:

proved landing gear in extended. position, and showing in broken lines, the. position of parts when the landing. gear is retracted.

- Figure Z' is a'fragmentary view' in sidelevation of the landinggear.

"Figure isa-perspective view showingimdisassembled relation, locking means preferably forming a part of the invention.

In the drawing, which for the purpose of illustration, shows only a preferred embodiment of the invention, and wherein similar reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views, the numeral l designates generally the improved landing gear, including a conventional shock strut I I, rotatably supporting at one end a suitable landing wheel I2, the other ends of the shock strut being fixed to a rock shaft l3 for swinging movement therewith. Fixed to the rock shaft I3 is a retracting arm I4 carrying at its free end a pin l5 having a reduced ,20 Fig ure 1 is a view in front elevation of the imend portion I6 pivotally supporting a small unlocking beam ll. Rotatably mounted on one nd of the beam I1 is a roller la, the opposite end of the beam I! being shaped to form a clevis l9.

Fastened to clevis l9 are opposite sections of a cable 20 trained about suitable pulleys 2| and capable of being alternately reeled in and payed out, as by a suitable drum 22 and a hand crank 23.

a ndtch t ree receitmg tne pin I15 -on tlie re ractmgarm lmfarfdailatera-lly project 'eam portion ("at rorenga'gemem by the 1 rouer I q on the unlocking beam l'l. Attached to a bracket "'on"tlie"1ock "shaft l3is"one "endor a"snubb in strut 3| "ha ing itsbppIisite "and secured "tofthe sectarian zaast a bracketed 'Als'o attac e-d tome orackt'on tne reek shaft l3"'is"'aburig'ee d'ei/ice ""33 6f a""strength*toaliriost balance the "weig'l'it"'df tneiaridinggear. cdxmeete'dpenven I "In the operation of the landing gear and with the "gear dispdseq in "the extend d l'psitio n as shown, counterclockwise rotation of the drum 22 will reel inthe'lipper'se'ction or the cable 20, and'pay outthe lower section thereof so asto swing the unlocking beanr-l'l i'n a counterclockwise direction. Ihe roller 18 through engagement with the-cam 30 will swing the-'locking lever t0-thelft-so that the pin I5 on the gs retra'cting arm f4will-clear 'the notch 29. '-Furtherrotatiorr of the dr-um fi will reel in the upper cable section so as to turn the unlocking beam and draw: the retracting arm l 4 toward the position shown-by-broken l-inesin Figure l. As the notch 29 of the arm 21 aligns with the pin'l5, the spring 35 causes the notch to snap over the pin, thus securely-locking the gear. It will be noted that the unlocking beam has turned approximately about its own axis and is now in position to unlock the gear for movement in the opposite direction. As the gear is moved down into landing position, the locking lever is moved clockwise by the pin l5 beyond its neutral position, and at the proper point the notch 29 on arm 28 snaps over the pin l5 by reason of the spring 35 urging the locking lever back toward neutral position. The arms 21 and 28 being at an angle less than 90, the locking lever is slightly off its neutral position when the gear is locked in either of its extreme positions. The snubbing strut prevents anysudden or heavy load being applied to the cable 20 during retraction or extension, due to any acceleration of the aircraft that might have a component in the pivotal movement of the landing gear about the axis of shaft I3.

Various changes may be made in theform of the invention herein shown and described without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the following claims.

The invention described herein may be manu-r of the United States of America for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties thereon or therefor.

What is claimed is:

1. In a retractable landing gear for aircraft, a gear retracting arm swingable between spaced positions for retracting or extending the gear, a gear locking lever having arms for interlocking engagement with the gear retracting arm when the gear retracting arm is swung into either one of said spaced positions, resilient means connected to said gear locking lever for urging the gear locking lever into interlocking engagement with the gear retracting arm in either one of said positions, an unlocking beam pivoted on said gear retracting arm and swingable into camming engagement with said locking lever to move said lever out of interlocking engagement with the gear retracting arm, means connected to said unlocking beam for swinging said unlocking beam to release said locking lever and for moving said gear retracting arm between said spaced positions.

2. In a retractable landing gear for aircraft, a gear retracting arm swingable between spaced positions for retracting or extending the gear, a gear locking lever having arms for interlocking engagement with the gear retracting arm when the gear retracting arm is swung into either one of said spaced positions, resilient means connected to said gear locking lever for urging the gear locking lever into interlocking engagement with the gear retracting arm in either one of said positions, an unlocking beam pivoted on said gear retracting arm and swingable into camming engagement with said locking lever to move said lever out of interlocking engagement with the gear retracting arm, and a single means for swinging said unlocking beam to release said locking lever and for moving said gear retracting arm between said spaced positions.

3. In a retractable landing gear for aircraft, a gear retracting arm swingable between spaced positions for retracting or extending the gear, a pin fixed to the free end portion of the gear retracting arm, a gear locking lever having arms each provided with a notch for interlocking engagement with said pin, resilient means connected to said gear locking lever for urging the gear locking lever into interlocking engagement with said pin, an unlocking beam pivoted on said gear retracting arm and swingable into camming engagement with said locking lever to move said lever out of interlocking engagement with said pin, means connected to said unlocking beam for swinging said unlocking beam to release said locking lever and for moving said gear retracting arm between said spaced positions.

4. In a retractable landing gear for aircraft, a gear retracting arm swingable between spaced positions for retracting or extending the gear, a pin fixed to the free end portion of the gear retracting arm, a gear locking lever having arms each provided with a notch for interlocking engagement with said pin, resilient means connected to said gear locking lever for urging the gear locking lever into interlocking engagement with said pin, an unlocking beam pivoted on said gear retracting arm and swingable into camming engagement with said locking lever to move said lever out of interlocking engagement with said pin, means connected to said unlocking beam for swinging said unlocking beam to release said locking lever and for moving said gear retracting arm between said spaced positions and resilient means urging the gear retracting arm toward its gear retracting position.

5. In a retractable landing gear for aircraft, a gear retracting arm swingable between spaced positions for retracting or extending the gear, a pin fixed to the free end portion of the gear retracting arm, a gear locking lever having arms each provided with a notch for interlocking engagement with said pin, resilient means connected to said gear locking lever for urging the gear locking lever into interlocking engagement with said pin, an unlocking beam pivoted on said gear retracting arm and swingable into camming enarm between said spaced positions and means for retarding movement of the gear retracting arm.

CONRAD J. MORGAN. 

